House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was embarrassed during a live CNBC interview on Thursday, when he was pressed on whether Democrats were setting a dangerous precedent by forcing a government shutdown over a funding bill written by the duly elected Republican majority.
🚨 BREAKING: Hakeem Jeffries was just EMBARRASSED for holding the government hostage...holy smokes. This was bad.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 9, 2025
CNBC: "There was an ELECTION. Republicans were able to pass the Big Beautiful Bill. To then say, 'We don't like that, so we're gonna shut down the government until… pic.twitter.com/wlcxytaZC6
There was an election. Republicans were able to pass the Big Beautiful Bill. To then say, 'We don't like that, so we're gonna shut down the government until you take back all the things you duly passed!
If the GOP did that to the Inflation Reduction Act, or any of the Biden acts, shut down the government because we don't like it, not pay military, not allow the government to open until you do what we want, after an election when the American people put Democrats in power - you'd be going crazy!
It's not how it works! It's bad, it's bad precedent! And you're talking about the House? You've already passed this! The Senate has a bill to reopen the government right now with five more Democrats.
"What is bad precedent is the Republican refusal to engage in bipartisan negotiations! They've made the government shutdown, they could open it now," Jeffries replied.
"How?" Joe Kernen, a co-host of the Squawk-Box, asked.
"I just explained it! They want to keep the government closed. Cruelty from the very beginning of this administration has been the point. And the responsible thing to do is to sit down and negotiate a bipartisan path forward to address a very real healthcare crisis that's upon us right now." Jeffries continued.
"Can you do that while the government is open?" another co-host asked. "That's the offer on the table..."
She continued, explaining that it sounds like Republicans are willing to negotiate with Democrats.
Rep. Jeffries went on to argue that Republicans have simply ignored the issue of healthcare and attempted to redirect blame towards the GOP.